Mira Bhayander Youth Congress

rty whose platform is generally considered in the centre in its ideological orientation, of Indian politics.[23][11][15] On social issues, it advocates secular policies that encourage equal opportunity, right to health, civil liberty and welfare of weaker sections and minorities, with support for a mixed economy.[24] As of 2021, in the 17 general elections since independence, it has won an outright majority on seven occasions and has led the ruling coalition a further three times, heading the central government for more than 54 years. There have been six Congress Prime Ministers, the first being Jawaharlal Nehru (1947–1964), and the most recent Manmohan Singh (2004–2014). Founded on December 28, 1885 in Bombay, Congress was an assembly for politically-minded individuals who were interested in reforms. In its first twenty years, known as a 'moderate phase', Congress was not interested in campaigning for independence or self-rule but for greater political autonomy within British Raj.[25] From the late 19th century, and especially after 1920, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, Congress became more vocal and active in demanding substantial political reform, and eventually turned out to be the principal leader of the Indian independence movement.[26] Congress led India to independence from the United Kingdom, and powerfully influenced other anti-colonial nationalist movements in the British Empire.[a][27] It was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British Empire in Asia and Africa.[b][27][28]

A split occurred within the Congress party in 1969. Indira Gandhi in order to demonstrate her support amongst the people, created her own faction, the Congress (R); while the other group was the Congress (O). In the 1971 general election, Congress (R) had secured an overwhelming majority winning 352 out of 518 seats in the Lok Sabha. In the elections to five state assemblies too, the Congress (R) performed well. However, 1977 general election resulted in a heavy defeat for the Congress (R). Indira Gandhi left the Congress (R) in 1978, to form her own Congress (I) faction which eventually was declared the rightful Indian National Congress by the Indian election commission in 1981. The Congress party won the 2004 general elections and returned to power after a record eight years out of office. The Congress-led coalition known as the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh formed a government. Subsequently, the UPA again formed the government after winning 2009 general elections with strong result in Kerala, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Singh became the first Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru in 1962 to be re-elected after completing a full five-year term. However, in the 2014 general election, UPA suffered heavy defeat winning only 55 seats of the 543-member Lok Sabha (the lower house of the Parliament of India). As of June 2021, the party with its alliances is in power in six legislative assemblies. A total of 61 people have served as the president of the INC since its formation. Sonia Gandhi is the longest serving president of the party, having held the office for over twenty years from 1998 to 2017 and since 2019. There is also a Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC), present at the state-level in every state. Together, the delegates from the districts and PCCs form the All India Congress Committee (AICC). The party is also organized into several committees, and sections.